First Family of Salem
by idealrain
Summary: Formerly Holier than thou. One shots involving the Hortons the first family of Salem. I don't own Days or its characters because the show would be much more twisted. Chapter 5- Doug and Maggie do dishes on Christmas Eve and discuss Victor, Julie and limboing.
1. Chapter 1

Holier than thou

They were The Hortons, Salem's royalty. Or at least that's what the general perception. Moments where members of family were petty, mean, disloyal, ungrateful and generally un-Horton-like.

I don't own Days or its characters because the show would be much more twisted.

Anne Midbauer generally liked her work. Sure, no one grew up saying they want to be a hospital administer but someone had to make sure the lights stay on every day and the payroll was done. She was very good at her job, so good no one notice that the job got done.

Until Jennifer Horton came to work at University Hospital. Anne had never meet Jennifer before, only vaguely remember an item in the Spector about her and fix elections results. Anne could appreciate someone bending the truth to get results, so she actually thought a person like that would be good for the hospital. A PR person who would get results.

She did not get that person.

Instead, she got a washed up journalist who was too busy straightening out her home life to do the job. What Anne needed was someone to take the day-to-day events of hospital press, so she could research grants to pay for more doctors, how to manipulate the insurance companies to pay bills and make sure that patients got the care they deserve. She got Jennifer Horton, instead.

Don't get Anne wrong; any help was welcome. It was just….well, Jennifer seemed to never run a PR office before. If she did, it was long before invention of the internet. And Jennifer didn't act like the job was important to her. Coming in whenever it please her, taking off for a personal crisis or thirty, and alternatively parading around like a damsel in distress or a proud peacock didn't exactly help Anne. Suddenly Anne was cast as the villain in Jennifer's soap opera of a life and frankly she didn't have time to deal with it.

So, yes, Anne might be a bit snappish with Jennifer, and yes, she did assigned Theresa Donovan to Jennifer out of pettiness. But understand this, her job is a hard one and she does it well. Anne wouldn't let anyone get in her way, not even a Holy Horton.


	2. Chapter 2

Sarah,

It's nice to be back! It was a combination of the depression, migraines and computer issues. Oh—and no idea how to end Small Town Tragedy. I hate the character of Jennifer so much and she's in the next chapter. I decided to write Horton one-shots in hope of getting back to STT. (BTW I started this chapter a month ago. That's how focus I've been.)

-Beckye

Maggie sometimes forgot that she has in-laws. No, of course. She doesn't, not really. They called once in a blue moon, more right after Mickey died. But the calls tapered off and soon only Mike and her girls called weekly. (Because you should call your mother once a week. Mickey drummed that into the kids before they left home.)

Hope, Will, Allie and Ciara are the only other Hortons in town and Maggie doesn't considered them in-laws. They are 'the kids', as much as Will protested the label. As much as Maggie loves the kids, she can't confide in them when the temptation of wine linger in her mouth, how she consider if it was too soon to start dating again or what the thing with Victor is.

Alice had been declining for months and Maggie had been the primary care taker. Julie and Doug were in town more and relieved Maggie for some nights. Hope tried to help out but with both the Ciara and Bo situations, she wasn't really focused.

Then the last doctor appointment came with news that hospice care was needed. Maggie knew she had to start making phone calls and arrangements for the Horton invasion. She just didn't expect her sister-in-law currently, sitting in her kitchen after washing her car around nine-thirty at night.

"You bought me ham?" Maggie was dumbfounded.

"Well, I didn't want you to worry about cooking," Marie said, defensively.

"Marie, I can cook. I enjoy cooking. Why are you here? Shouldn't you be at Alice's?"

"Bill and Jennifer are over there now. I can stay here, if you need me to."

Maggie sighed. How do you kick your sister-in-law, a former nun, out of your house at moments like these?

"Lucas is staying here while he's home. Besides, I'll probably just go to sleep. I'm fine considering how Alice is doing," Maggie said.

"Right. Well, I'm just concerned."

"So you bought me ham?"

Marie shrugged. "I thought you liked ham."

"I do like ham. I just would like it more when we don't have people bring us food on a daily basis."

"I didn't think of that," Marie admitted.

"It's fine. Don't worry about it," Maggie said. She hoped no one noticed that the majority of the food came from one Victor Kiriakis

Marie fidgeted and Maggie mentally groaned.

"What is it?" Maggie asked.

"Maggie, are you sure you're ok? Because I can move back if you need me to."

"Marie, I know part of this you probably feeling guilty for not being home with Alice or Mickey's funeral. But you really don't have to uproot your life."

"Why don't you let us help you? I want to come home," Marie said, earnestly

"Because you will get restless and then you'll resent me. Salem will always be your home. But I'm doing ok and I have a good support system. Melanie is here if I need anything and Lucas is staying here while he's in town. And I pay Will to do jobs around the house. If you want to try to transfer to St. Luke's I would welcome you home. But I can't be responsible for you moving home to relive your guilt," Maggie said.

"I know that. It's just.. I don't know what to do. I didn't come home for so many important things."

"And we would've been happy to have you home," Maggie reassured Marie.

"I also was concerned about the fact you've had a relapse of the MG…." Wincing, Marie trailed off when she saw Maggie's face. Perhaps she shouldn't have bought the subject up.

"The office called with results of the tests I took a couple weeks ago. I'm currently in remission. I didn't say anything, while we're dealing with Alice, because I thought we have enough to handle at the moment," Maggie said.

"Maggie, you know what I meant…"Marie said, as Lucas entered into the kitchen.

Noticing the tension, Lucas wondered what situation he just walked into.

"Hi, Aunt Maggie, Aunt Marie. Is everything o.k.?"

"It is, relatively speaking. Hello, honey," Maggie got up to kiss Lucas' cheek.

"Hi, Lucas. It's good to see you, even under these circumstances." Marie hugged her nephew.

"I know. Aunt Maggie, where do you want me to put my stuff?"

"Oh, um, the guest room you stayed in last time is fine. Have you eaten yet? We got ham," Maggie asked.

"O.k.," Lucas went upstairs to unpack.

"I should probably head back to Mom's. I'll see you later, Maggie." Marie picked up her jacket and left.

Lucas came down and open the fridge.

"Aunt Maggie, when you said we've got ham, you neglected to mention the insane amount of ham in here."

Maggie groaned. She missed being able to forget she had in-laws.


	3. Chapter 3

Aunt Maggie doesn't have sex, right? A missing scene from 9/2/11. Don't own Days characters.

"I just don't understand why she just move in with Jennifer. We would feel so much better with her out of Victor's and home."

One of the annoying features of Skype was Hope could actually see Julie rolled eyes at her, instead of just knowing she was doing it over the phone.

"Oh, tell me Aunt Maggie wouldn't be safer with Jen. Victor could still visit. We don't want to totally cut him out of her life…"

Julie interrupted her sister,

"Just want to control his access to her, right?"

"We bought snacks!"

"And that was very thoughtful of you. But darling, Maggie is in an adult relationship with a man she loves very much and who loves her. I wonder why she didn't leap at the thought of moving in with her niece?" Julie raised her eyebrow.

Hope's eyes widened with the realization of what Julie meant.

"Aunt Maggie doesn't have sex or want to have sex or need to have sex. And they were really good snacks! Name brand snacks!" Hope was strangely firm on the snack quality.

Julie couldn't help laughing at her sister.

"Maggie definitely wants to have sex. You should've heard our conversation the morning before she got shot. Apparently she forgot how amazing sex is and…."

"Julie!"

"What?" Julie asked, innocently.

"I don't need to ruminate on my aunt having sex with my father-in-law."

"You brought it up."

"I did not!"

Julie's eyes were amused and suddenly Hope felt like stomping her foot, like her eight-year-old daughter.

"So now I have _that _ mental image in my head, do you have any actual useful advice?" Hope asked.

"Yes. Stay out of it. Maggie knows what she's doing...for the most part…" Julie said.

Hope's eyes narrowed.

"For the most part?"

"Yes. Like you and Jennifer knew, for the most part, what you were doing investigating an illegal organ transplant ring in jail."

"Oh, how long are you going to keep bringing _that _up!"

"Jennifer's own heart had to be transplanted back in, Hope!"

"Everything turned out fine. I can't believe…."Hope started to rant.

Julie smiled. Hope was so easily distracted sometimes.


	4. Chapter 4

Just Dinner

"I'm pretty sure you can't refuse a dinner invitation from Alice Horton, Lucas." Lucas gets to know the Hortons.

I don't own Days' or it's characters. I'm playing with ages again. Lumi if you squinted.

-So, this was supposed to be the second chapter before I got blocked with it. The story about the Christmas ornaments is my fanon.-

Lucas had known that he was a Horton for a week before the dinner invitation. He ran into Mrs. Horton in Salem Place.

"Oh...I'm glad I ran into you, dear. Your cousin, Sarah, is home from college and I'm having her, Mickey and Maggie over for dinner tomorrow. I would love to have you there," Alice said, smiling at her newly founded grandson.

"I don't-" Lucas was cut off by his grandmother.

"Good. Dinner's at six. Call if you need directions. I'm looking forward to it," Alice squeezed Lucas' hand and said goodbye.

_What just happened?_ Lucas wondered as he went to meet Sami.

"I'm pretty sure you can't refuse a dinner invitation from Alice Horton, Lucas," Sami said, sipping her soda.

"Why not?"

"Because it's Alice Horton…?"

"So?" Lucas felt defiant.

"I keep forgetting you didn't grow up here. Mrs. Horton is like the queen of Salem. She never has a bad word to say about anyone and I've never heard anyone bad mouth her. She even broke my uncle out of jail! Not to mention the Horton Christmas ornaments. And from what I can remember, Sarah's pretty cool. She's a year older than us, so she was in school with us. "

"Us? Are you using the royal we?" Lucas asked.

Sami chuckled.

"I have a twin brother, Eric. I'm used to using plural words for us"

"Oh. So do you want to go to dinner with me?"

"No, it's going to be awkward enough. Besides, I have my own awkward dinner to go to. Mom and Daddy want to bond," Sami said, making a face.

Lucas knocked at the door and a tall redhead answered.

"We usually just walk in, cousin. Hi! I'm Sarah," Sarah smiled and hugged Lucas, noticing the flowers,

"Oh, you bought roses. It's kind like bringing coal to Newcastle but Gram'll love them anyway."

"You know I never understood that saying. Is Newcastle known for its coal?"

"Absolutely. There's a whole coal museum there," Mickey said solemnly.

"Dad!" Sarah rolled her eyes.

"Hello, Lucas. I think we probably met before but I'm your Uncle Mickey and I see you met my youngest Sarah Margaret."

"Who's called Sarah by everyone else. Hi, I'm your Aunt Maggie. Alice's almost done with dinner. How are you?" Maggie asked, kindly.

"It's been a rough week. I just can't start to process everything," Lucas said, as Alice came in.

"Sarah, help your cousin set the table, please," Alice requested.

"Yes, Gram. C'mon, i'll show you where the plates are," Sarah led her cousin to the kitchen.

"Making him set the table on his first night here? That's a little harsh, Mom," Mickey said.

"My grandchildren can be expected to set the table. They're fully capable," Alice said, as Maggie carried the pot roast to the table. "is Sarah eating meat this week?"

"Oh, I don't remember week to week," Maggie said.

"Well, I cooked some of the vegetables in a separate pot for you," Alice said when she reached the table.

"Thank you, Gram," Sarah scooped some carrots on her plate and passed the dish to Lucas.

Lucas took the dish and paused,

"You don't say grace? I assumed…"

"We occasionally do,. especially when my sister, Marie is with us. But not every time. Do you want to pray? We just didn't want to make you uncomfortable," Mickey said .

"Oh, it doesn't matter to me. Why would prayers be important to Marie?" Lucas didn't even know he had another aunt.

"She's a nun, dear," Alice said.

"Oh. So, wait, how many aunts and uncles do I have? I know about you guys," Lucas gestured to Mickey and Maggie, "but I just heard about Marie."

"I have two brothers and two sisters. You know Bill," Mickey said as Lucas made a face.

"I see Uncle Bill is charming as ever" Sarah commented.

"Sarah..." Mickey scolded his daughter half-heartedly.

Lucas was happy to find someone else who shared his feelings about Bill.

"Why don't you like Bill?"

"No reason. Just the fact he and Aunt Laura lied to my dad for fourteen years," Sarah said.

"And your dad forgave them," Mickey said.

"What happened?" Lucas was ready for more reasons to dislike his father

"I thought your brother,Mike, was my son. Turns out Bill raped Laura, who was my wife at the time."

"Wow..." Lucas couldn't imagined sleeping with someone who slept with his brother. Then he processed the rest of the sentence. "So, wait, Bill raped someone?"

"Yes, dear, but we forgave him. Besides, your uncle would've never met Maggie," Alice smiled at her daughter-in-law.

"I did get the better end of the deal," Mickey agreed as Maggie blushed.

" To answer your question, I have three sons. My eldest Tommy lives in New York and is an ER doctor. His twin, Addie died from a hit and run after pushing her daughter, Hope, of out the way. You've met Bill and then Mickey here, " Alice smiled at her son.

"Oh, yeah,I think Sami mentioned she had an Aunt Hope who died. But I didn't realized Hope was a Horton, too, "Lucas said.

"The Hortons and the Bradys overlap in terms of family members," Mickey said.

"Oh, you know Sami? I used to play with her and Eric. She was the sweetest girl. I wonder if she changed," Sarah said as Lucas choked on his water.

"Are you okay, dear?" Alice asked.

"Yeah. It's just.… I wouldn't call Sami sweet." _Devious, controlling, manipulative, maybe._

"Oh, I suppose you know her better than I do. I haven't seen her in years. We went to different middle schools and lost touch," Sarah said.

"Don't I have like fifty cousins or something?" Lucas asked. Suddenly it seemed like there were Hortons everywhere in his life.

" Julie, Hope, Steve, Melissa, me, I need to remember to skip Mike, Jessica, and Sandy. Second cousins, David,Spencer, Nick, and Shawn D," Sarah rattled off without thinking.

"O.k. _that _was impressive," Maggie said as Lucas looked overwhelmed.

" By family and in chronological order. Nice job ," Mickey was amused.

" Years of doing family trees. I don't suggest meeting them all at once. And I want to be there when you meet Julie," Sarah said.

Lucas noticed the mischievous look in Sarah's eyes as Julie was mentioned.

"What's wrong with Julie?"

Maggie stifled a laugh and said,

"Julie is a whirlwind and one doesn't talk to her as much as experience her. But she means well."

"She'll be home for Christmas," Alice said. She looked sad for a moment. Sarah squeezed her grandmother's hand.

"We all miss Grandpa. I wish Lucas would have had the chance to meet him,"said Sarah.

"Alice, do you want me to put the doughnuts in, now?" Maggie asked.

"Yes, please," Alice said.

"So, my cousins come home for Christmas. All of them?"

"Oh, not all of them and we have time to prepare you. It would be strange to have the family wear name tags,especially with the ornaments," Alice said.

"Oh right. Wait, Sami mentioned something about really amazing Christmas ornaments. What's the story behind that?" Lucas asked.

"Actually, the first Christmas, when we had the twins, your grandfather was still medical school, so we didn't have money for a tree and the whole nine years. Tom surprised me with a little tree and four ornaments. Tom, Alice, Tommy and Addie," said Alice.

"And for years after, my brother complained about being known as Tommy especially as a teenager. But when Marie was born, she got an ornament and the tradition continues each year," Mickey said.

"Oh. I never really had a Christmas tradition before. Usually it was just me and Mom ordering Chinese food for dinner," Lucas said.

"Well, that will change. We Hortons go all out for Christmas," Alice said.

"O.k. I guess I have to get use to having a family, especially around Christmas," Lucas said.

"Another thing you have to get use to is fresh doughnuts," Sarah sniffed the air.

"Which are done. Sarah, could you get them?" Alice asked.

"Wait...Lucas, how old are you?" Sarah asked.

"16, why?"

"Ha! I'm no longer the youngest! You get to do the older people's bidding," Sarah grinned.

"Yes, but I believe your grandmother asked you to do it, Sarah," Maggie said.

"Yes. Sorry, Gram." Sarah said. She got up and returned shortly with a plate of hot doughnuts.

As Lucas bit into a doughnuts, (which he had to admit was the best doughnut he ever ate), he thought he could get used to this.

"So, how was your first Horton family dinner?" Sami asked, the day after as they munched on doughnuts.

"It was...interesting. Apparently I only have ten cousins, not thirty,my cousin, Julie is insane and no one really likes Bill. I think I might enjoy being a part of the family. How was yours?"

"Horrible. Perfect Carrie was there and all we discussed was how disappointed Dad was about her choice to postponed college to model…"

Lucas could sense Sami was winding up for a rant. He made himself comfortable, knowing that this conversation could take a while.


	5. Chapter 5

"Julie can be…." "...an irritating, stubborn, insensitive jerk?" "Well, yes." Doug and Maggie have a conversation while doing dishes, Christmas Eve,2010

If anyone knows the date of the episode, it's the Christmas with Bo and Hope on the run after Hope's escape from prison. Also spot the other non-Days soap reference.

I don't own Days or it's characters.

"I think I'll start on the dishes," Maggie said.

"Oh, Aunt Maggie, I'll do them later. I already did a load while we ate. Don't worry about it," Jennifer said.

"I think I'll do the dishes," Maggie repeated. Jennifer missed the dirty look Maggie threw at her oldest cousin. Julie raised her eyebrow, not backing down. Maggie stood up and starting to clear the dishes. Once she left the room, Doug sighed,

"You really stepped in it now."

"Oh, what? Just because I think Maggie should move on with her life, after Uncle Mickey, I'm the bad guy?"

"Maggie doesn't have to move on according to your time frame," Doug said, in a low heated voice.

"I have good intentions," Julie protested.

"You always do. I'll talk to her but drop it for now," Doug said.

As Doug headed towards the kitchen, Jennifer turned to Julie.

"What was _that_ about?"

""Nothing."

Doug knocked on the doorway. Maggie looked up,

"Don't you even start. She doesn't just step over the line, Doug She practically limboed over the line to suggest I date Victor…."

Doug picked up a dish and started loading the dishwasher.

"I don't want to date. It's too soon. And Victor?! The man's…." Maggie trailed off.

"Well, Julie can be…."

"...an irritating, stubborn, insensitive jerk?" Maggie slammed the salad plates together.

"Well, yes. But she means well." Doug placed the coffee cups next to the sink.

"Oh, spare me." Maggie rolled her eyes.

"Maggie. Can you imagine being alone for the next ten years?"

Maggie started to load the dishwasher. Doug waited, patiently, knowing Maggie had to think before she spoke. Honestly it was a nice change from his wife, who did the opposite.

"I can't think about the next ten years or the next ten months or the next ten days. When I do, I get so mad…"

"I know, darling."

"How long did it take for you to get over…?" Maggie stopped before saying her sister-in-law's name.

"Oh, you know, I don't think I will ever get over the anger. No one really talks about that part. Do you ever really get over being cheated?I should've been married to the woman I loved for more than two years. Hope should've had her mom. Maybe if she did…?" Doug didn't finished his thought about his jailed daughter.

"No one talks about the anger lasting so long. Sometimes, I think of Alice and how she seemed to be the perfect widow. It's so messier than what I thought it would be. On a layover, I met this doctor from New York, who has been widowed for seven years. Actually she still lives with her in-laws. But she still isn't ready to date. I just can't figure out which is worse…"Maggie cut herself off.

"Not moving on or actually moving on?"

"Yeah. That part. I keep thinking of Victor and I can't believe I'm thinking of another man like that, let alone Victor Kiriakis and then I keep remembering Alice encouraging me to start a new life. But she never did, did she?"

Doug smiled at the mention of Alice.

"Alice found the love of her life in college during the generation when you only got married once. Our generation...that doesn't always have to be the case. But it's has to be your choice. "

"So you'll handle your wife?" Maggie asked.

"I'll deal with Julie. But I would keep an open mind about things," Doug said.

"I make no promises."

"Fair enough. Now, I believe there's doughnuts."

"If everything else falls apart, there's always doughnuts, "Maggie smiled through her tears.

"Always."


End file.
